OUR NEXT SUBSCRIBER POT LUCK WILL BE ON SATURDAY, JULY 25TH 3-6 PM. Come join the fun and enjoy pizza, people and Pumpkin Ridge!

We continue to see different crops responding in different ways to the heat. The cabbage family crops (broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, etc) are a mixed bag. The Asian broccoli is finishing quickly, but the regular broccoli is (surprisingly) handling the heat well. Kohlrabi is also coming to an end and may be best cooked this week. Summer kale is not as sweet as kale that has been exposed to a frost, but it works well in dishes like this one.

PENNE WITH KALE AND POTATOES

½ lb. kale

2-3 Tbs. salt

1 large yellow-fleshed potato, ¾” cubes

14-16 oz. uncooked penne pasta

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

3-4 Tbs. olive oil

fresh black pepper to taste

Clean the kale, removing tough ribs, and cut it into thin strips. Bring 5-6 quarts of water to a rolling boil, add salt, potatoes and kale, cook for 5 minutes. Add pasta and cook for ¾ of recommended time (should offer considerable resistance to the tooth). Meanwhile, put the garlic in a large skillet and drizzle with 1 Tbs. olive oil over moderate heat. When garlic begins to sizzle, remove from heat. Drain pasta and vegetables, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water. Add the pasta and vegetables to the garlic in the skillet and add 1 cup of the cooking water. Cook over high heat, covered, until the pasta is done and surrounded by a creamy sauce. Add more cooking water as needed. Serve in bowls, topped with a drizzle of remaining olive oil and pepper. Serves 8. Adapted from Red, White and Greens by Faith Willinger.

The cabbages are being a bit odd and not maturing uniformly. We expect that everyone will have a cabbage or two over the next few weeks. This recipe is always what I think of when we have summer cabbage.

ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

½ cup thinly sliced onion

3 Tbs cider vinegar

2 Tbs sesame seeds

1 head cabbage

1/3 cup cilantro

2/3 cup fresh mint

2 Tbs roasted unsalted peanuts

3 Tbs sweet and sour fish sauce

In a 5-qt saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add chicken and when water returns to a boil, cover the pan and remove from heat. Let stand until chicken is white in the thickest part (cut to check). This should take 12-15 minutes. Combine onion and vinegar and let stand 15 minutes. In a heavy frying pan, stir sesame seeds until golden brown. Remove from pan. Shred chicken by hand. Shred enough cabbage to make 6 cups. Drain the onions and combine in a large bowl with chicken, cabbage, onion, cilantro and mint. Add peanuts, sesame seeds and fish sauce and mix well. Makes 4-6servings.The zucchini are loving the heat and are growing faster than we can harvest. While we try to keep the size of your squash on the small side (they taste the best) there are some larger ones that just cry out to be made into zucchini bread. This is my favorite recipe.

Last night Polly roasted new potatoes in a very simple way. While I was grilling other things on the barbecue, she made a simple tray by folding up the edges of a small (1 foot square) piece of aluminum foil. She poured in 2 –3 Tbs. of olive oil then placed halved new potatoes face down on the improvised tray. She sprinkled them with salt, pepper, chopped scallions (green onion tops would work well, too), and dill. We placed the tray on the lower level of the barbecue and turned it occasionally to insure even cooking. When the spuds were tender to a fork, they were easy to pop off the foil and they came out with a nicely crisp cut face and a light fluffy center. Yum!

BLUEBERRIES ARE GETTING RIPE. Order a pint for only $3 with a simple email!

Polly’s flowers are hitting their stride! Just email to order a fabulous bouquet of 25+ stems of a colorful mix of different flowers for only $7.